hateful

adjective

hate·​ful ˈhāt-fəl How to pronounce hateful (audio)
Synonyms of hatefulnext
1
: full of hate : malicious
2
: deserving of or arousing hate
hatefully
ˈhāt-fə-lē How to pronounce hateful (audio)
adverb
hatefulness noun

Synonyms of hateful

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Examples of hateful in a Sentence

the girl's classmates were bullying her online, sending her hateful e-mails and text messages
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
When Rodrigo, Perry, Grande, and Kahan made public comments, spokespeople for the White House used the opportunity to spread hateful rhetoric. — Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 11 Aug. 2026 Yet, this hateful dangerous man remained on the loose and soon killed my mother. — Rachel Sales, New York Daily News, 6 Aug. 2026 On Reddit, for example, some subreddit moderators would prefer to ban users who use hateful or violent rhetoric. — Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 6 Aug. 2026 Yes, discipline, which is not a heavy and hateful word, because discipline is what frees us. — Ronda Racha Penrice, HollywoodReporter, 31 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for hateful

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from hate hate entry 1 + -ful -ful entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hateful was in the 14th century

Rhymes for hateful

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Browse Nearby Words

hate crime
hateful
hatefully
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Cite this Entry

“Hateful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hateful. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

hateful

adjective
hate·​ful ˈhāt-fəl How to pronounce hateful (audio)
1
: full of hate : malicious
hateful enemies
2
: causing or deserving hate
a hateful crime
hatefully
-fə-lē How to pronounce hateful (audio)
adverb
hatefulness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on hateful

Nglish: Translation of hateful for Spanish Speakers

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